How to Dodge Moose During Mating Season

A vehicle is most likely to collide with a moose during summer and fall when traffic is at its heaviest. Moose mating season, which extends from mid September to mid October, is the riskiest period. Follow these steps to avoid colliding with one of these heavy animals.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Remember that dodging a moose is better than hitting it with your car since a moose is a tall creature (up to 7.5 feet). When its legs are hit by a car, it flies up over the car hood, and its body hits the windshield and roof. You can both be killed.
2. Pay attention to moose crossing road signs—they indicates frequent moose activity in a area. Know that moose can be very unpredictable and hard to dodge during summer and mating season.
3. Travel at speeds much lower than the speed limit. Public safety departments recommend driving at around 40 miles per hour in moose crossing areas. At this speed you are more likely to dodge a moose as opposed to hitting it.
4. Exercise caution at night. Moose have dark coats and dark eyes, so they are very difficult to see at night. Understand that the most dangerous time for moose-vehicle collisions is between dusk and dawn when moose are hard to see.
5. Keep an image in your head of a large cut out figure made of black construction paper suddenly appearing in front of your car when driving at night —watch for anything that moves.
6. Keep inside lights low, so you can see in front of your car and have a better chance of dodging moose during mating season and other times.
7. Avoid following other vehicles to closely during mating season. This will help give you enough time to react to the car in front of you if it stops suddenly to avoid a moose collision.

Tips & Warnings

• Pay special attention to roads when you have passengers riding with you who can distract you. Ask your passengers to keep an eye out for moose too.
• In some moose-vehicle accidents, the moose's body takes the top of a car off, smashing passengers inside.
• Take note that most of the time airbags do not go off because the moose's legs alone aren't enough to trigger airbag sensors—all the more reason for drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.